Pasaia KE 3-2 Real Sociedad C — Pasaia KE edged a five-goal thriller against Real Sociedad C on 19 September 2026, winning 3-2 in a Tercera División RFEF Group 4 fixture that swung one way and then the other before the home side finally held on in a tense closing spell. The three points lift Pasaia's early-season momentum and hand the visiting Real Sociedad C side a frustrating night on the road in one of the most keenly contested regional derbies in the Basque group.

Match Overview

Played under the lights in Pasaia with a 22:30 kick-off, the game was everything a local derby should be: quick, physical and full of transitions. Pasaia KE set the tone early with high pressing and direct attacking down the flanks, while Real Sociedad C — the development side of the Real Sociedad academy structure — looked to control possession and build patiently from the back.

The home team's intensity paid off with the opening goal, and from that moment the match became a genuine back-and-forth contest. Real Sociedad C responded with the quality you would expect from an academy outfit, equalising and then pushing ahead at stages, but Pasaia's willingness to attack in numbers and their efficiency in the final third proved decisive.

Key Moments and Goal Flow

The scoring pattern tells the story of a game that refused to settle:

• 1-0 Pasaia KE — The hosts struck first after a sustained spell of pressure, turning a half-cleared cross into a shooting opportunity inside the box. The finish was sharp and gave Pasaia the early confidence their pressing deserved.
• 1-1 Real Sociedad C — The visitors settled and found their rhythm, working the ball into the penalty area with patient combination play before leveling the score with a well-placed effort.
• 2-1 Pasaia KE — Pasaia restored their lead before the break, capitalising on a turnover in midfield. A quick vertical pass split the Real Sociedad C back line and the finish was clinical.
• 2-2 Real Sociedad C — The academy side equalised again, showing real character. A set-piece situation caused problems and the rebound was converted to silence the home crowd briefly.
• 3-2 Pasaia KE — The decisive moment came in the closing stages, when Pasaia's persistent pressure finally told. A late attacking sequence ended with the ball in the net and the home bench on its feet.

Tactical Story

Pasaia KE's approach was built on aggression. They defended with a compact mid-block and looked to spring forward the moment they won possession, targeting the space behind Real Sociedad C's advanced full-backs. Their two wide players were constant outlets, and the front line's willingness to press the centre-backs forced several rushed clearances that Pasaia recycled into attacking phases.

Real Sociedad C, by contrast, played the more structured game. Their midfield rotations created overloads in wide areas and they were the more patient side in possession, particularly during the periods after each of their equalisers. The problem was defensive: too often the young back line was caught with a high line against quick direct running, and each of Pasaia's goals came from situations where the visitors were stretched vertically.

In the final twenty minutes, the game turned into a test of nerve. Real Sociedad C pushed bodies forward in search of a third equaliser, and Pasaia dropped slightly deeper to protect their advantage, defending a string of crosses and second balls. It was not comfortable, but it was effective.

Standout Performers

For Pasaia KE, the attacking unit deserved the credit. The forward line combined movement and physicality, and the midfield's work rate off the ball repeatedly turned Real Sociedad C's possession into counter-attacking chances. The goalkeeper also made a couple of important interventions late on to preserve the win.

Real Sociedad C's best moments came from their creative midfielders, who kept the team playing football even when the game became scrappy, and from the wide players who consistently carried the ball into dangerous areas. Their two goals were well-constructed, and the performance will have given the coaching staff plenty of positives despite the result.

What It Means in the Tercera División RFEF Table

Three points in Group 4 are always valuable, and this result gives Pasaia KE a meaningful boost in the early Tercera División RFEF standings. Winning a derby against a Real Sociedad C side — one of the more technically accomplished squads in the group — carries extra weight psychologically, and sets a benchmark for the months ahead.

For Real Sociedad C, the defeat is a reminder of how unforgiving the division can be. Academy teams in the Tercera División RFEF must combine development with resu